Container and protective insert for shock sensitive devices

Abstract

A shock protective device for use with a carton for shipping shock sensitive products. The device comprises a foldable padded insert which fits inside the carton. The insert folds over and surrounds the product to be shipped with a first group of interior blocks of shock absorbing material attached to one face thereof. A second group of exterior blocks of shock absorbing material are attached to the opposite face of the insert which hold the insert in place within the carton. The exterior blocks are vertically aligned with the interior blocks when the insert is folded over a product to be shipped to preclude squashing of the device within the carton during shipment. The exterior blocks absorb shock transmitted to the carton and the interior blocks absorb any shock transmitted to the insert within the carton.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A blank for forming a shock-resistant unit for protecting from shock an article and for insertion, with said article inside said unit, into a shipping carton, including in combination: a base sheet having end and side edges and a series of first, parallel score lines, parallel to said end edges, enabling folding and defining a base area between two of said score lines, a narrow connecting area between a pair of score lines, and a cover area between a pair of score lines, said narrow area lying between and immediately ajoining said base and cover areas, said base sheet having an upper surface and a lower surface,   a first group of shock-resistant blocks secured to said upper surface in said base area and defining an article-receiving space, the thickness of said blocks being approximately equal to the width of said connecting area, to enable folding of said sheet so that said cover area can overlie and engage the upper surfaces of said blocks,   a second group of shock-resistant blocks secured to said lower surface of said sheet in said base area and generally aligned with at least some portions of said first group of blocks, and   a third group of shock-resistant blocks secured to said lower surface in said cover area and comprising a second pair of blocks and aligned so that when said cover area is folded over said first group of blocks, said third group of blocks are generally aligned with at least some portions of said second groups of blocks.   
     
     
       2. The blank of claim 1 wherein said blocks fully enclose said article's receiving space. 
     
     
       3. A blank for forming a shock-resistant unit for enclosing and protecting from shock an article and for insertion, with said article inside said unit, into a shipping carton, including in combination: a base sheet having end and side edges and first, second, third and fourth parallel score lines, parallel to said end edges, enabling folding and defining a first, flap area between said first score line and an adjacent first end edge, a second, base area between said first and second score lines, a third, linking area between said second and third score lines, a fourth, cover area between said third and fourth score lines, and a fifth, flap area between said fourth score line, and an adjacent second end edge, said base sheet having an upper surface and a lower surface,   a first group of shock-resistant blocks secured to said upper surface in said second area and defining an article-receiving space between them, a first said block lying closely adjacent to and parallel to said first score line, a second said block, parallel to said first block and closely adjacent to and parallel to said second score line, a third said block perpendicular to said first and second blocks and lying closely adjacent to and parallel to a first said side edge, and a fourth said block parallel to said third block lying adjacent to and parallel to a second said side edge, the thickness of said blocks being approximately equal to the width of said third area, to enable folding so that said fourth area overlies and engages the upper surfaces of said first group of blocks,   a second group of shock-resistant blocks secured to said lower surface of said sheet in said second area and comprising a pair of blocks directly in line with said first and second blocks, and   a third group of shock-resistant blocks secured to said lower surface in said fourth area and comprising a pair of blocks aligned so that when said fourth area is folded over said first group of blocks, said second pair of blocks are directly in line with said first and second blocks.   
     
     
       4. The blank of claim 3 having a pair of locking tabs projecting out from said first edge, and a pair of notches along said fourth score line for receiving said tabs therethrough.   
     
     
       5. A blank for forming a shock-resistant unit for enclosing and protecting from shock an article and for insertion, with said article inside said unit, into a shipping carton including in combination: a base sheet having end and side edges and first, second, third and fourth parallel score lines, parallel to said end edges, enabling folding and defining a first, flap area between said first score line and an adjacent first end edge, a second, base area between said first and second score lines, a third, linking area between said second and third score lines, a fourth, cover area between said third and fourth score lines, and a fifth, flap area between said fourth score lines, and an adjacent second end edge, said base sheet having an upper surface and a lower surface,   a first group of four rectangular, shock-resistant, polyurethane blocks secured to said upper surface in said second area, said blocks having meeting inner edges defining a rectangular article-receiving space between them, a first said block lying closely adjacent to and parallel to said first score line, a second said block, parallel to said first block lying closely adjacent to and parallel to said second score line, a third said block perpendicular to said first and second blocks and lying closely adjacent to and parallel to a first said side edge, and a fourth said block parallel to said third block lying adjacent to and parallel to a second said side edge, the thickness of said blocks being approximately equal to the distance between said third and fourth score lines, to enable folding so that said fourth area overlies and engages the upper surfaces of said first group of blocks, the thickness of said blocks being also approximately equal to the widths of said flap areas,   a second group of rectangular, shock-resistant, polyurethane blocks secured to said lower surface of said sheet in said second area and comprising fifth and sixth blocks, respectively directly in line with said first and second blocks,   a third group of rectangular shock-resistant, polyurethane blocks secured to said lower surface in said fourth area and comprising a seventh and eighth blocks aligned so that when said fourth area is folded over said first group of blocks, said seventh and eighth blocks are directly in line with said first and second blocks,   a pair of locking tabs projecting out from said first end edge and connected thereto by short score lines, and   a pair of notches along said fourth fold line for receiving said tabs therethrough.   
     
     
       6. A blank for forming a shock-resistant unit for protecting from shock an article and for insertion, with said article inside said unit, into a shipping carton, including in combination: a base sheet having end and side edges and a series of first, parallel score lines, parallel to said end edges, enabling folding and defining a base area between two of said score lines, a narrow connecting area between a pair of score lines, and a cover area between a pair of score lines, said narrow area lying between and immediately ajoining said base and cover areas, said base sheet having an upper surface and a lower surface,   a first group of shock-resistant blocks secured to said upper surface in said second area and defining an article-receiving space, the thickness of said blocks being approximately equal to the width of said third area, to enable folding of said sheet so that said cover area can overlie and engage the upper surfaces of said blocks,   a second group of shock-resistant blocks secured to said lower surface of said sheet in said base area and aligned with said article-receiving space, and   a third group of shock-resistant blocks secured to said lower surface in said cover area and comprising a second pair of blocks and aligned so that when said cover area is folded over said first group of blocks, said third group of blocks are aligned with said article-receiving space.